6 AUGUST 2026 (Calgary, AB) – The Wilder Institute is continuing its Canada-wide initiative to support and empower environmental educators. Since launching in fall 2024, the program has expanded beyond Alberta and the Northwest Territories and is building a national network of educators with continued growth planned through 2029. This project was made possible by a $1.56 million contribution from the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund.
“Through this work, we aim to give educators access to the training, resources, and networks they need to bring meaningful environmental and climate learning to the next generation,” said Laura Glick, Senior Manager, Conservation Education at the Wilder Institute. “As we grow this work across Canada, educators are creating lasting impacts in classrooms and communities nationwide.”
The program continues to expand professional development opportunities for educators across Canada, while strengthening partnerships, growing a connected community of environmental educators, and refining the resources and training that support environmental and climate learning. The program aims to directly reach nearly 5,000 educators, extending its impact through classrooms, schools, and communities across Canada.
Central to this work is the Environmental Educators’ Summit, the initiative’s flagship annual event, returning for its second year Aug. 10-13, 2026. The four-day event will bring together more than 40 formal and non-formal educators from Alberta, Ontario, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories at the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo and the organization’s offsite conservation facility, the Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC). Through sessions at the zoo and behind-the-scenes conservation learning at the ABC, participants will build skills, share practices, and explore emerging approaches in environmental and climate education.
The Summit will feature guest speakers, including Jacob Rodenburg of Camp Kawartha, Dr. Andrew MacIntosh, Senior Scientist of Wildlife Conservation at the Wilder Institute, and Sam Ross, educator and PhD candidate, who will share insights on mentorship and educational community-building. Elders Eileen and Henry Beaver and Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes will guide participants through Indigenous teachings and a Two-Eyed Seeing approach throughout the event.
“Environmental literacy is key to helping young Canadians address today’s environmental challenges and build a more sustainable future, and the Environmental Educators’ Summit is an important part of that work. I’m proud that, through the Environmental Damages Fund, our government is supporting the Wilder Institute’s efforts to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders to build a healthier, more sustainable future for all.”
The Honourable Julie Dabrusin, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature
Education plays a critical role in conservation by helping people understand the challenges facing wildlife and ecosystems and empowering them to take action. By supporting educators with science-based resources and experiences, the program is helping build environmental literacy and inspire a deeper connection to the natural world. These efforts contribute to a future where people and wildlife thrive together.
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For more information contact:
Cindy Antonello
Senior Manager, Communications
403.232.7766 | 403.919.9482 | mediarelations@wilderinstitute.org
About the Wilder Institute
The Wilder Institute is a global conservation charity working to create a future where people and wildlife thrive, together. We operate the Calgary Zoo, one of Canada’s most visited zoological institutions, and bring together conservation action, animal wellbeing, species recovery, research and public engagement within one connected organization focused on wildlife conservation.
From the Wilder Institute’s Calgary Zoo to the Archibald Biodiversity Centre, Canada’s largest conservation breeding facility, and applied conservation programs in Canada and around the world—including conservation work in regions such as Ghana and initiatives such as the Centre for Species Survival (CSS) Human Dimensions and the Wilder Canada Action Plan—every part of our work contributes to a shared purpose: we act for wildlife; saving species and inspiring people to join us.
We work in partnership with Indigenous Peoples, communities, governments, researchers and other conservation organizations to restore wildlife populations and ecosystems, share knowledge and
capacity with people across society to grow our conservation family, and scale solutions that support biodiversity across our country and others. By connecting animal care, applied conservation, and public engagement, we help turn knowledge into action and action into lasting impact for wildlife, ecosystems, and the communities connected to them. Learn more at WilderInstitute.org and CalgaryZoo.com.